The formation and reduction with hydrogen of ordered oxygen layers on Rh (110) was studied by means of low-energy electron diffraction, Auger spectroscopy and thermal desorption. It was shown that it was possible to prepare clean, (1 x n) reconstructed Rh (110) surfaces by suitable thermal and chemical treatments. Adsorption of oxygen on a Rh(110) surface followed by heating to 700K resulted in (2 x 3), (2 x 2)p2mg or c(2 x 2n) structures (n = 3, 4 and 5), depending on oxygen coverage. Reduction by hydrogen at 370K resulted, respectively, in (1 x 3), (1 x 2) and (1 x n) structures which were oxygen- and hydrogen-free as judged by Auger electron spectroscopy and TDS. The (1 x n) structure were metastable and revert to (1 x 1) at temperatures above 480K. These results offer the possibility of studying a clean Rh(110) surface both in its unreconstructed state and in a variety of reconstructed phases.

(1 x n) Reconstruction of the Rh (110) Surface with n = 2, 3, 4, 5. V.R.Dhanak, G.Comelli, G.Cautero, G.Paolucci, K.C.Prince, M.Kiskinova, R.Rosei: Chemical Physics Letters, 1992, 188[3-4], 237-40